Loose-leaf binder



Patented July 14, 1942 UNETD STAT id ifihbl'l OififlCE Loose-LEAF BiNnnn Pollard V. Wisdom, New York, N. Y. Application Jury 1c, 1941, serial No. 402,575 5 claims. (o1. 12e- 41) This invention relates to loose-leaf binders and is particularly directed to folders constructed of paper or ber stock or other equivalent inexpensive materials, the same being so constructed and arranged as to provide the folder with selfformed means for removably retaining the leaves in associated relation therewith.

The invention primarily comprehends a looseleaf binder fashioned from a single sheet of stock to provide a folder having self-formed means for retaining the leaves in place so as to eliminate the expense and objectionable features incident to the use of metallic clips.

The invention is further directed to a folder which is cuth bent and formed to provide a pleated connection between the cover portions thereof with slots and integral binding tongues formed in and by the pleats and adapted to cooperatively function for removably retaining the leaves in bound relation between the pleats.

With the above enumerated and other objects in view, the invention is set forth in greater detail in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a loose-leaf binder constructed in accordance with the invention with the front cover opened.

Fig, 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective View of the folder illustrating the manner in which the binding tongues are initially inserted in the slots.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the blank prior to the bending and folding of the same.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, the folder is cut from a single sheet of paper stock and scored to provide front and rear cover portions I and II which are joined together by an accordion pleated portion consisting of a pair of folds I2 and I3 and a pair of folds I4 and I5. The folds I2 and I3 are slitted to provide tongues I6 and I'I which register with each other when the folds I2 and I3 are arranged in parallel flat contact. The folds Hl and I are provided with slots I8 and I9 which have their major measurement extending lengthwise of the folds and which are adapted to register when the folds Ii and I5 are disposed parallel and in flat contact with each other.

The fold I5 is provided with a pair of transverse slotsand 2l arranged above andbelow the longitudinal slot I9. In practice the accordion pleated portion will preferably -be provided with two or more pairs of tongues I6 and Il, and two or more groups of slots I8, I9, 20 and 2l, which tongues and slots will be longitudinally spaced in the pleated portion in the manner shown in Fig. l of the drawing.

In use, the leaves 22 which are preferably perfcrated at 23 are inserted between the innermost folds I3 and III of the folder and the tongues i6 and Il are inserted through the perforations 23 of the leaves 22, thence through the aligned slots it and I9 in the leaves I4 and I5, the tongues being twisted a quarter turn so as to extend through the slots I3 and I9. The protruding terminals of the tongues IS and I1 are then twisted a quarter turn and extended in opposite directions and the extremities of the protruding terminals engaged respectively in the upper and lower transverse slots 2i)l and 2l to lie between the pleats I4 and I5 thereby effectively locking the binding tongues against accidental or unintentional release.

From the foregoing it will thus be seen that a folder has been devised having integral selfformed means for removably binding the leaves in the folder. The leaves may be readily torn from the folder by exerting a direct outward pull to break through the ledge portions lying between the perforations and the inner bound edges of the leaves. It is also possible to remove a sheet from the folder by disengaging the extremities of the tongues from the slots 25 and 2l and withdrawing the tongue terminals from the slots I8 and I9.

What is claimed is:

1. A loose-leaf binder comprising a folder fashioned from a sheet of material and including front and rear cover portions an-d an intermediate accordion pleated portion consisting of hingedly connected inwardly directed pairs of folds, said pairs of folds being adapted to receive therebetween the perforated inner edges of leaves to dispose the same between the front and rear cover portions, one of said pairs of folds having a slot in each fold thereof disposed to register with each other and with the perforations in the leaves, the other of said pairs of folds having a tongue formed in each fold thereof with the said tongues arranged in side by side contacting relation and adapted to be bent so as to extend through the perforations in the leaves and through the slots of the first mentioned pair of folds and the outer fold of said first mentioned pair of folds having a slot adjacent each end of the first mentioned slot therein for receiving the ends of said tongues respectively and for retaining the same between the folds of said pair of folds.

2. A loose-leaf binder comprising a folder fashioned from a sheet of material and including front and rear cover portions and an intermediate accordion pleated portion consisting of hingedly connected inwardly directed pairs of folds, said pairs of folds being adapted to receive therebetween the perforated inner edges of leaves t dispose the same between the front and rear cover portions, one of said pairs of folds having a longitudinal slot in each fold thereof disposed to register with each other and with the perforations in the leaves, the other of said pairs of folds having a tongue formed in each fold thereof with the said tongues arranged in side by side contacting relation and adapted to be bent so as to extend through the perforations in the leaves and through the slots of the rst mentioned pair of folds and the -outer fold of said rst mentioned pair of folds having a transverse slot adjacent each end of the longitudinal slot therein for receiving the ends of said tongues respectively and for retaining the same between the folds of said pair of folds.

3. A loose-leaf binder comprising a folder fashioned from a sheet of material and including front and rear cover portions and an intermediate accordion pleated portion having hingedly connected pairs of folds between which perforated leaves are adapted to be arranged, one of said pairs of folds having registering slots extending longitudinally thereof and with which the leaf perforations are adapted to be aligned, registered tongues formed in the other pair of folds and adapted to jointly extend through the leaf perforations and through the slots of the other pair of folds, and means for locking the extremities of the protruding terminals of the tongues, consisting of transverse slots formed in the outer fold of said first mentioned pair and arranged in spaced relation to the opposite ends of the longitudinal slot for receiving and releasably locking said terminals between the folds of said rst mentioned pair.

4. In a binde-r for perforated leaves, a folder including an intermediate accordion pleated portion defining hingedly connected pairs of folds between which pairs the leaves are adapted to be disposed, one of said pairs of folds being slitted to provide registering tongues adapted to be jointly extended through the leaf perforations with the width of the tongues disposed transversely of the folds, the other pair of folds having slots extending longitudinally thereof through which the tongues are extended by axially twisting the same to dispose their widths longitudinally of the folds, and means for locking the tongues consisting of a transverse slot formed in the outer fold of said last mentioned pair of folds at the opposite ends of the longitudinal slot therein and into which transverse slots the extremities of the protruding terminals of the tongues are respectively engaged after axially twisting the same to dispose the widths thereof transversely of the fol-d.

5. In a binder for perforated leaves, a folder of flexible sheet material including front and rear cover leaves and an accordion pleated connection therebetween consisting of two pairs of hingedly connected folds, between which pairs the perforated leaves are adapted to be arranged, one pair of folds having registering slots and the other pair having registering outstruck tongues jointly adapted to be extended through the leaf perforations and the registering slots of said one pair of folds, and slotted portions in one of the folds of said one pair, which slots are so disposed with reference to the rst mentioned slot thereof as to require axial twisting and separation of the tongue terminals for respective engagement therein so as to lock the tongues in binding relation to the folder and leaves.

POLLARD V. WISDOM. 

